CORVALLIS, Ore. - The large willow stick sculpture, "Pomp and Circumstance," created by artist Patrick Dougherty in 2011 on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis, will be removed this summer.

The College of Liberal Arts, which commissioned the temporary sculpture, will host a send-off party for the piece as part of graduation festivities. The celebration will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. June 12 in People's Park on the west side of Gilkey Hall, 122 S.W. Waldo Place.

Students, staff, faculty and members of the public are invited to attend the event. Cuttings from the sculpture will be available to take home to plant and tags will be available to write send-off messages that will be attached to the sculpture.

"The piece's ongoing popularity surprised everyone," said Larry Rodgers, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. "It has become a well-loved part of OSU's identity, even though it was always meant to be ephemeral."

Dozens of students and community volunteers helped Dougherty build the sculpture using willow sourced from local weavers in 2011. Expected to decay over time, the sculpture held up much longer than expected, but parts of it are beginning to sag, and it has become a potential hazard.

College of Liberal Arts officials plan to replace the sculpture with a "similarly exciting new installation that will continue to draw people to interact with our natural art," Rodgers said.

"We recognize that Dougherty's sculpture is a fixture on campus, and though we're sad it has to go, we're dedicated to keeping People's Park a destination where students, community members and families can congregate, relax and explore," he said.

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